Wire-rope drilling clamp



Oct. 20, 1925.

' 1,558,392 R. l.. PORTER WIRE ROPE DRILLING CLAMP Filed Nov. 2o. 1924 2sheets-sheet 1 if nw@ Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFEmE.N

ROBERT LQPORTER, OF Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. j

` WIRE-ROPE DRILLING CLAMP.

Application filed. November 20, 1924. Serial No." 751,134. f

To all whom t may cof/wem: L 4

yBe it known that I, ROBERT L. PORTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wire-RopeDrilling Clamps, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relatesto well drilling outts and more particularly towire rope or v'steel cable clamps used in) connection with the temperscrews Ofstandard drilling rigs.

rlhe Object of this invention is to provide a cable clamp havingfriction means that continuously engage the cable in such a manner thatthecable` may either be gripped or released, said means adapted to movewith the cable when released so that the cable will not be damaged fromcontacting with relatively stationary surfaces.

Another'object is to` provide a clamp of the character referred to whichis simple in construction, easily operated, and which may be quicklyconnected to the temper screws.

These Objects are attained by the disclosure herein set fortlr by thefollowing description of the accompanying drawings, the novel featuresthereof being set forth in the appended claims, in which Figure 1 is afront elevation of the cable clamp connected to a 'temper screw.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on theV line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa transverse section taken on the lines 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. j

Referring by numerals to the drawings, a cable clamp constituting theinvention is generally designated at A, having clamping members lOrand11. rlhe clamping member 10 has a jaw portion 12 in which is formed anopening 13 and a channel 14 connnunieating with the Opening. The channelhas parallel sides 15 which are at right angles to walls 16 intheopening 13. The opening 13 has side walls 17 andan end wall 18terminating in a tapered portion 19. The side walls 17 .have inwardlyprojecting Oifset portions 20 having horizontal surfaces 21 and verticalside faces 21', the vertical faces 21 being iiush with the side walls 15of the channel 14.

Integrally formed on the jaw portion 12 is aniarm 22, a lug 23 andan ear24.` recess 25 is formed in the lug 23 `and a vertical bore 26 extendsthrough the lugon each side ofthe recess.` An aperture 27 is formed inthe ear 24 to receive a link 28.

TheV clamping member 11 is ofsubstantially the same construction as theclamping member 10, having a jaw portion 12 in which is formed anopening .13l and a channel 14 communicating' with' the opening. Thechannel has parallel sides 15 which are at right* angles to walls16 intheopening 13. The opening.` 13 has side walls 17 and an end wall18".ter1ninating in a tapered portion 19. The. side walls 17 haveinwardly projecting offset portions 20 having horizontal surfaces 21land `vertical side faces 21a, the vertical faces 21a being flush withthe side walls `15` of the channel 14.

Integrally formed -onthe jaw portion 12 is an arm 22', lugs 29 and 30,and an ear 31 havingan aperture 32 adapted to receive a link 33. j j

Friction means adapted to engagea cable generally designated at C'consists of an endless link chain 34 carried by a member 35 and anendless link chain 34vcarried by a member 35. The chains 34y and 34arehcomposed'of linksl L and L connected by pins, the links L havingconcave faces F` and curved ends E. The member 35 has parallel sides'36, a curved top 37 and a fiat bottom 38. In a like manner, the member35. has parallel sides 36', a curved top 37 and a flat bottom 38. Themember 35 is mounted in the opening 13, the bottom 38 resting on thesurfaces 21 and-the chain 34 carried by the member 35 engaging thesides15 of the channel 14. The chain'34 and the member 35 are mounted in theopening 13 and channel 14 in the same manner as the chain 34 and member35. The chains 34 and 34- are lpressedinwardly by `leaf springs 39engaging the members 35 and 35. An eye bolt 40 lits in the recess 25 inthe lug 23. The lug 23 of the clamping member 10 and the lugs 29 and 30of the clamping member 11 overlap' andare pivotally connected by a pin41 passing through the bore 26 inl the lug 23 and bores 29L and 30a-inthelugs 29 and 30v and a hole 40LL in the eye bolt 40.

A nut 42 having` an' annular groove 43 engages the threaded end of theeye bo-lt 40, and a collar 44 engages the groove 43 and is connected tothe arms 22 and 22 by links the leaf springs 39 through the members 35and 35, the concave faces F of the links L conforming to the diameter ofthe cable,

and the links L engaging the sides of the channels 14 and114. As clearlyshown in F 2, the cable is grippedby the clamping members 10 and 11 atwhich time the meinb'ers 35 and y35 are pressing against the chains 34and 34', this pressure being effected by rotating the nut 4l to theright.

Then it is desired to release the cable, the nut 41 is turned to theleft, which will cause the jaws t-o open, thereby releasing the `tensionon the cable, the chains, however, remaining in contact with the cabledue to the action of the leaf springs 39, and ivlieiftlie cable is movedin either direction the chains will move with` the cable over themembers 85 and 35.

lt will be noted that the endlessk chains present considerable surface.engaging the cable and move with the cable (when not gripped), thuspreventing damage and wear on the cable.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention as claimed.

That -is claimed is:

1. A cable clamp comprising a pair of pivotally connected clampingmembers` said` clamping members having jaw portions.l each of said jawportions having an opening, an endless link chain mounted on a membermovable within each opening, eX- pansion springs within each openingengaging each member, and means for opening and closing said jaws. I

2. Acable clamp comprising a pair of clamping members, each of saidclamping members having jaw portions, arms projecting froii said jawportions, a pair of lugs formed on oneof said jaw portions and a singlelug formed on the second jaw portion, said second jaw portion having arecess vithin said lug, an eye bolt mounted 'within the recess of saidsecond jaw portion, said eye bolt having a nut mounted on the threadedportion thereof, a collar carried by said nut, links connecting saidcollar andy said arms of the jaw portions, said lugs of the jaw portionsinter-locking, a

vpivot pin extending through the bores in said lugs and eye bolt, eachof said jaw portions having'an opening, a channel cut in the inner sideof each jaw portion and communicating with said openings, a membermovable within each opening, link cha-ins mounted on said members,expansion vsprings engaging said inembei's, an ear formed on each ofsaid clamping members, an opening formed in each of said ears, and alink in each of said ears adapted to support the cable clamp on a temperscrew.

3. A cable clamp comprising a pair of clamping jaws, members slidableupon said jaws, and endless chains passing Aaround said members adaptedto engage upon a cable;

4. A cable clamp comprising a pair of clamping jaws, members slidableupon said jaws. endless chains passing around said members adapted toengage upon a cable, and spring means for urging said members towardeach other.

5. A cable clamp comprising a pair of clamping jaws, members slidableupon said jaws, yand endless chains passing around said members. saidmembers beingso arranged that when the adjacent sides of said endlesschains are clamped upon a cable, said members will cooperate with theirrespective jaws to clampv the remote sides of said endless chainstherebetween.

6. A cable clamp comprising a pair of clamping jaws, members slidableupon said jaws, endless chains passing around said members, said membersbeing so arranged that when the adjacent sides of said endless chainsare clamped upon a cable, said members will cooperate with theirrespective jaws to clamp the remote sides of said endless chainstherebetween, aiid spring means for urging said members toward eachother.

7. A cable clamp comprising two jaws and an eye-bolt pivoted together,arms carried by said jaws and disposed at the sides of the eye-bolt, anut threaded onto the eyeboltJ1 a collar upon the nut, and linksconnecting said collar tosaid arms, whereby movement of said nut willcause said jaws to be clamped together or to be separated from eac-hother.

S. In a cable clamp, a pair of jaws, members movable upon said jaws, andendless chains passing around said members and being so arranged thatwhen the adjacent sides of said chains are clamped together upon acable` other portions of said clamp will'also be clamped between saidmembers and portions of their respective jaws.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

R. L. PORTER.

